Shuttle



Jupe 30, 1936. H. H/BURDETTQ SHUTTLE Filed Dec. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' INVENTOR.

ffoeApzr/i 5020577.

ATTORNEY.

H. H. BURDETT SHUTTLE- Filed Dec. 21, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

June 30, 1936.

Patented June 30, 19 36 PATENT OFFICE SHUTTLE Horace H. Burdett, Hopedale, Mass... assignor to Draper Corporation, Hopedale,'Mass., a col-p ration of Maine Application December 21, 1935, Serial No. 55,651

80laims.

The present invention pertains to automatically threading loom shuttles and has more particular reference to such shuttles having automatically threading tension devices for applying 5 tension to the running filling thread.

Shuttles of the type mentioned are used in bobbin changing looms wherever the character of filling thread employed or cloth being woven is such as to require more tension on the filling to thread than is obtainable with shuttles having only simple threading blocks. 0f the various types of tension devices heretofore proposed, the spring clamp type, so-called, is to be preferred from the standpoint of simplicity and ruggedness w of design and also because of the uniform tension which it provides. However, such prior spring clamp tension devices have been unsatisfactory in that they have failed to properly provide for tensioning of the filling during the first pick after the transfer to the shuttle of a new filling supply. More particularly, most of the prior tension devices would not become threaded at all until the second pick after filling replenishment, while others would usually, but not always, become threaded during the first pick but so belatedly as to nevertheless cause defective cloth to be woven.

The present invention seeks to provide, in an automatically threading loom shuttle, a first pick tension device of the spring clamp type,which is so constructed that it will, without fail, become threaded early in the first flight of the shuttle after filling replenishment. To the end mentioned, I have provided a tension device comprised of opposed friction members for exerting a slip-grip upon the running filling, at least one of the members being provided on its thread contacting surface with at least one ridge, groove 'or the like which extends at the proper angle to guide or lead the filling thread laterally of itself into the tension device. If so desired, the threadleading conformation of the. friction members may be confined to the entrance portion of the tension device, thereby providing relatively smooth friction surfaces for engaging the filling thread after the latter has fully threaded into the tension device.

Two embodiments of the invention are illus- 5 trated on the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a shuttle comprising the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is'a view partly in elevation and partly in section taken approximately on line 2- 2,

members removed from the shuttle;

Fig. 7 is a view in section taken approximately online l-l, Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a detail view of a modified form of friction member.

The shuttle shown on the drawings includes a shuttle body 5 generally of conventional construction, the shuttle body having a longitudinally extending cavity 2 in which a filling carrier such as bobbin 3 is detachably held by any usual form of spring jaws, not shown. The shuttle is provided with a longitudinally extending thread passage d in alignment with the cavity 2, the thread passage being defined partly by the recess 5 in the shuttle body and partly by the front wall 6 and rear wall i of the threading block 8 positioned in said recess.

The shuttle as herein described and claimed is considered as though it were positioned in a loom and boxed on the side of the loom toward which the end of the shuttle containing the threading block points. Thus, the wall 9 is positioned substantially vertically and is the front wall of the shuttle, while a line extending longitudinally of the shuttle from the cavity 2 toward the tip it would extend in a direction outwardly from the cavity.

The threading block may be provided with a guard or horn H which extends from the front wall 6 of the threading block outwardly and rearwardly over the thread passage. The horn ii and the contiguous part of the shuttle body are shown as being constructed as disclosed in patent to W. I. Stimpson, No. 1,985,960, granted Jan. 1, 1935, although such construction is neither of the present invention nor essential thereto, it being shown for purposes of illustration only.

The shuttle is provided with a first pick tension device comprising a pair of friction members which are yieldingly pressed together for exerting. a slip-grip upon the running filling. The tension device as shown is preferably carried by the threading block at the inner end of the thread passage in the latter, there being a rear friction member 82 and a front friction (s5;

- ment, of the filling thread, instead of relying I member I3. The members I 2 and I3 extend transversely of the filling thread and thread passage, preferably approximately vertically, as shown. The members may be slidably mounted on a pin l4 near the bottom of the threading block, and the upper end of the tension device is left open to provide a thread entrance |5..

the filling thread without damage to the filaments. The upper or entrance ends of the members mayalso be curved, as shown, to facilitate the entrance of the filling thread into the tension device. Each of the friction members is provided with a, horizontally extending guide lug, as IT, entering into a guide tube I8in the threading block. Each friction member has on one of its sides a friction surface l9 (Fig. 5)

which except for the beveled part I6 is preferably fiat and comparatively smooth.

The friction members I2 and I3 may be yieldingly pressed together in any suitable manner. In the construction shown, the member I2 is backed by a surface :formed on the threading block, while the front member 13 is pressed rearwardly by a spring 20 which engages between the member and an adjusting screw 2| (Fig. 3) threaded into the front wall 6 of the threading block.

The principal feature of novelty of the shuttle shown resides in the provision of means operative after filling replenishment to lead the filling thread laterally of itself into the tension device. Filling replenishment takes place when the. shuttle is boxed as above described, and consists of the transferring to the shuttle of a filling carrier having a full supply of filling. The new filling supply has an end 1 which extends from the filling carrier longitudinally of the shuttle above the threading block to the usual fixed holder (not shown). Thereafter, the shuttle is picked in a direction away from the threading block end of the-shuttle which results in the filling unwinding from the filling carrier and swirling about as it unwinds. In prior shuttles, the swirling of the'filling is usually relied upon to cause the filling topass-about the horn, as II, and 'down into the thread passage. For this reason, prior spring clamp tension devices are capable of threading only belatedly, and unreliably, as above noted.

The present invention comprehends the leading of the filling thread laterally into the tension device and thread passage by utilization of therelative longitudinal movement, or feeding movesolely upon the ballooning or swirling movement of the same. I accordingly provide at least one of the friction members with at least one thread deflecting groove or ridge formed in the thread contacting surface at the entrance end of the tension device, such groove or ridge being inclined in a direction to accomplish the desired result.

The particular friction members shown, l2 and I3, are each provided with a' plurality of parallel, alternate ridges and grooves, for the purpose mentioned, as shown more clearly by Figs. 5 and 6. The ridges result from milling or otherwise forming a plurality of parallel grooves 22, 22 in each thread engaging surface I 9. The grooves shown extend from the extreme inner edge of the surface diagonally outwardly 5 and downwardly, and terminate short of the rearward edge of the thread engaging surface. The uppermost groove is formed on the entrance end of the thread engaging surface, and the lowermost groove terminates well above the normal path of the filling thread when the latter is fully threaded into the side delivery eye 23.

The number and size of the grooves or ridges in the friction members is not of extreme importance. I have, however, obtained best results with the construction shown, the drawings being substantially to scale.

Fig. 8 of the drawings shows a friction member which embodies the present invention in different form and which may be used in the 20 threading block above described. This form of friction member is comprised of an elongated body 24 of the same general shape as the corresponding member of the first embodiment. However, instead of being provided with a plurality of milled grooves, the thread'contacting surface is ground or honed in a manner to produce a multiplicity of comparatively fine ridges and grooves extending diagonally of the member as shown at 25. This type of friction member may be preferred for use with filling thread which requires a very light tension and which is of a very delicate character, although I have obtained very good results with this member on the more common sizes and types of filling thrad.

It will be apparent that, very early in the first pick of the shuttle after filling replenishment, the filling thread in unwinding from the filling carrier will be thrown against the entrance end 404 of one'of the friction members. Since the filling thread at the time of such contact is moving longitudinally relative to the shuttle, at considerable speed, the thread leading groove or ridge contacted by the filling will deflect the latter downwardly into the tension device, The thread deflecting construction herein disclosed. is so efiicient that, in actual practice. The filling is pulled down into the tension device before it becomes threaded beneath the horn ll. Thus, the tension device may be made to facilitate the positioning of the filling beneath the horn.

Friction members constructed in accordance with the present invention and of proper size and shape may be substituted for prior friction members in existing shuttles to convert the latter into shuttles of the present invention. In other instances, the entire. tension device may be applied to existing shuttles,for the same purpose., Consequently, both individual friction members and complete tension devices, constructed as aforesaid, constitute articles of manufacture which I desire to claim as such.

Having fully disclosed the preferred embodiment of my invention, I claim:

. 1. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a cavity for a filling carrier, 9. longitudinally extending thread passage in alignment with said cavity, and a first pick tension device in said thread passage, said tension device being the filling thread normally runs, to thereby pro-1.16 I

said cavity, and a first pick tension device in said thread passage, said tension device being comprised of opposed friction members extending transversely of the running filling thread and exerting a slip-grip upon the same, said tension device being open at one end to thereby provide a thread entrance, the thread contacting surface of the entrance portion of at least one of said members having a thread engaging ridge extending at an acute angle to the said direction of the filling thread in a direction to lead the filling thread laterally from said entrance into said tension device.

3. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a cavity for a filling carrier, a threading block having a longitudinally extending thread passage in alignment with said cavity, and a first pick tension device in said thread passage, said tension device being comprised of opposed friction members extending transversely of said thread passage and yieldingly pressed together for exerting a slip-grip upon the running filling thread, said tension device being open at one end to thereby provide a thread entrance, the thread contacting surface of the entrance portion of at least one of said members being provided with a plurality of parallel thread deflecting ridges extending at an acute angle to said members in a direction to lead a running filling thread in engagement therewith laterally into said tension device.

4. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a cavity for a filling carrier,'a threading block having a longitudinally extending thread passage in alignment with said cavity, and a first pick tension device in said thread passage, said tension device being comprised of opposed friction members extending approximately vertically and yieldingly pressed together to exert a slipgrip upon the running filling thread, the upper end of said tension device being open to provide a thread entrance, the thread contacting surface of the upper part of at least one of said members being provided with a plurality of thread deflecting ridges which extend from the inner edge of said member outwardly and downwardly along said surface to thereby lead a running filling thread in engagement therewith downwardly into said tension device.

5. In a spring clamp tension device for automatically threading loom shuttles, a pair of elongated friction members having contiguous thread engaging surfaces, spring means yieldingly pressing said members together to exert a slip-grip on a fillingthread, said tensioniong.device being open at one end to provide a thread entrance, the thread engaging surface of at least one of said members having a thread deflecting groove or ridge which is positioned adjacent said entrance and which extends diagonally of said surface to thereby lead a running filling thread into said tension device.

6. In a spring clamp tension device for automatically threading loom shuttles, a pair of yieldingly opposed friction members having contacting thread engaging surfaces of elongated form, said tension device being open at one end to provide a thread entrance, the thread entrance end of the thread engaging surface of at least one of said members having a plurality of thread deflecting ridges which extend diagonally of said surface in a direction to lead a running filling thread laterally into said tension device.

7. As an article of manufacture, a friction member for a spring clamp tension device for automatically threading loom shuttles, said member being comprised of an elongated body having on one side thereof a thread engaging surface, said member and surface being curved at one end thereof for the purpose described, said member having a thread deflecting groove formed in said surface adjacent said curved end and extending generally diagonally of said surface and member in a direction to lead a running filling thread away from said curved end. 8. As an article of manufacture, a friction member for a spring clamp tension device for automatically threading loom shuttles, said member being comprised of an elongated body having on one side thereof a thread engaging surface, one end of said member being curved in a direction away from said surface to provide a thread entrance, there being a plurality of thread deflecting ridges formed in said surface at the thread entrance end thereof, said ridges extending diagonally of saidsurface and member in a direction to lead a running filling thread away from the said thread entrance end of the member. 

